You'll Be Cooking For Christmas

December 13, 2007|By LINDA GIUCA; Courant Food Editor

Every year at this time, in hopes that holiday shoppers will boost sales, publishers release a flood of new cookbooks. This season's offerings, as always, cover multiple categories of cooking, especially baking.

While there does not appear to be a blockbuster book for 2007, foodies can find a wide selection of culinary guides, some written by familiar names, others written by first-time authors. Here are some of the noteworthy books:

"Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky

Buns, Muffins & More"

by Carole Walter

(Potter, $35)

The photographs alone, beginning with the sticky bun on the cover, will propel a baker into the kitchen. Although the book is laden with recipes to make breakfast all the more interesting - orange cream cheese muffins, Country Cherry Honey Scones, Pineapple Cheese Braid - there are recipes to soothe the sweet tooth at any time of day. A James Beard Award winner and cooking teacher, Walter understands what home bakers want and need in a recipe.

"Classic Stars Desserts"

by Emily Luchetti

(Chronicle, $29.95)

"Dessert is important for our emotional well-being and tastes better when we don't feel guilty about it," writes the pastry chef who worked for Jeremiah Tower at his acclaimed Stars restaurant in San Francisco. Luchetti underscores that philosophy by using top-notch ingredients for maximum flavor so that small portions are satisfying. Her recipes aren't overly fussy - just her take on traditional American desserts such as poached pears with walnut cream, fudgy mousse cake and apple tarts.

"Secret Ingredients"

edited by David Remnick

(Random House, $29.95)

The ultimate foodie won't want to read this book just for the cartoons. Yes, there is a sprinkling of The New Yorker's incomparable cartoons, but the real meat of this book are the essays. Food is the common denominator but, in the hands of well-respected writers as varied as M.F.K. Fisher, A.J. Liebling, Calvin Trillin and Steve Martin, the range and treatment of topics will keep the reader enthralled.

"Mouth Wide Open"

by John Thorne with Matt Lewis Thorne

(North Point Press, $26)

This series of essays by the James Beard Award-winning writer and his wife are as satisfying as a hearty stew. Thorne teaches techniques, including recipes, as he muses on the history of marmalade or his search for the best midnight snacks. Think comfort food, not the latest restaurant trend.

"Sky High"

by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne

(Chronicle, $35)

The general theme of this baking book is "more is better." Why make two layers of cake when three are more striking? A pastry chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Huntsman turns out special-occasion cakes with fillings and icings as special as the three-layer cakes.

"Bubby's Homemade Pies"

by Ron Silver and Jen Bervin

(Wiley, $29.95)

This writing duo knows a lot about pie: Silver, a former restaurant chef, founded Bubby's Pie Co. in New York City, and Bervin is a baker who hosts pie socials. The two carefully explain the steps leading up to perfect pie crust, while offering recipes for both sweet and savory fillings. They also add bonus recipes such as deep-dish cobblers and crisps, homemade Pop Tarts, and sweet dumplings as well as garnishes like candied nuts, creme fraiche, marshmallows and ice cream.

"The Country

Cooking of France"

by Anne Willan

(Chronicle, $50)

The beauty of the French countryside and its cooking is evident in the book's exquisite color photographs. Willan, founder of La Varenne cooking school, spends as much time explaining the history of the regions and their raw ingredients as shaping the recipes for traditional French dishes such as cassoulet, the specialty of the Languedoc, and Tarte au Citron from Provence.

"How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"

by Mark Bittman

(Wiley, $35)

Following his still successful "How to Cook Everything," Bittman uses the format to explore the world of meatless eating. The author takes an "everyman's" approach to cooking - he is not a trained chef and considers himself a home cook - which makes his recipes and his tips accessible. With nearly 1,000 pages devoted to ethnic dishes from all over the world, even carnivores won't miss the meat.

"Veganomicon: The Ultimate

Vegan Cookbook"

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

& Terry Hope Romero

(Marlowe & Company, $27.50)

This book isn't quite as comprehensive as Bittman's book, but the authors are working with a more limited pantry. The tips for working with vegan ingredients are invaluable, and the recipes showcase the naturally good flavors of vegetables and fruits.

"Cook With Jamie"

By Jamie Oliver

(Hyperion, $37.50)

Jamie Oliver's books are always a bit quirky. Not everyone would choose slow-roasted pork belly or black squid ink tagliatelle for a weeknight meal. No matter. Aside from the mouthwatering photography and the inventive mix of ingredients, the best part of Oliver's books is his way of talking the reader through the recipe.

"The Fundamental Techniques

of Classic Cuisine"

by the French Culinary Institute

(Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $75)

At $75, this is one of the more expensive books of the season, but it's still a bargain way to "attend" the prestigious New York City cooking school. The recipes are almost secondary to the discussion and step-by-step photos illustrating basic culinary techniques. Buy yourself a chef's jacket and toque, and start reading.